Wire-splicing tool



Feb. 24, 19253. i J. S. McCH ESNEY.

WIRE SPLIGING TOOL.

ORIGINAL HLED MAR. 31.1919. Z SHEETSSHEET l.

Fb. 1923; 1,445,634.] 1. S. McCHESNEY.

WIRE SPLIClNG TOOL. v ORIGINAL FILED MAR-3 1. 1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented rat; a, was.

n rat e a a Jenn S annan ivrconnsn'nryor.cnreae-o, r nrn'ors, ASSIG-NOR, BY 1VESNE'ASSIGN- nnn'rs. T c ar MANUFACTURING 00., or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A coarona 'rron or nnwl roan.

wrnn-srtrerne 'rooLj Apphcation filcd March 31,1919ySe1ia1 No; 286,241. Renewed. August 14, 1922'. Serial No. 581,8d2i

To (all ill/L07, it may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOHN SHERMAN Mofli-rrisnrir', citizen oi? the United States, re-

siding at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements n a ld ire-Splicing Tool and I do hereby de clare the following to be a -lull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and: use the same.

lily invention relates to appliances for inter-twisting wires without holding 1 them under tension, and for joininga pair of wires firmly by asplice whichwillbe neat in appearance and which will maintain the ad joined wires substantially in longitudinal Viewed in one of its more particular adaptations;my invention aims to provideasiniple appliance for splicing an QXlJQHlSlOIl'l. 1119,06 of WlI'H to onset the wire bandson a so-called:wire bound box, so that this band may again be used effectively, also to equip the tool so that it can be used for withdrawing a stapleso as to permit aportion of the wire to beraised into-a posltionin whichan ex tension. piece can conveniently be spliced to it with my appliance.

Topermit the employing of lighter box sides, it has long been customary to reinforce thelwoodenis1des by'means of WlI'Q loops extending entirely around the box, the free ends of each loop being lntertwlsted at one edge of the box, as shown near the left hand oi Fig. l of the accompanying; draw-.

ings. To open such a box, these spliced joints at theends of the wires are either cut oil entirely, or untwistethand even if they are untwisted, the terniinalwire portions usually have been strained to such an eiztent that they cannot berejoined into a splice of a dependable strength. Consequently, such wire l'iound boxes have commonly been thrown away after a smgle use, although they might be in serviceable condition for repeated service, except for the lackprtl a strong connection between the wires, which then gap substantially as shown more to v. the right in Fig. 1. I have found that by simply splicing two relatively short pieces of Wire to the free ends of each of thefsevered wire bands,the discardedbox is restoredto useful condition, as the tip portions of these extension wires, can then. be inter-twisted Cir with each other in the usual manner.

also aims to the operating part of the appliance in posilin the embodiments illustrated, my invention aims to provide a simple and easily operated hand tool suitable for splicing extension wires to the ends of such wire bands; to provide a tool forthis purpose which can easily be operated toafford a jointot ample strength without overstraining the wire, and to provide a tool which can readily be' manipulated in such a manner as to leave the.

free tips of the splice turned between the box and adjacent portions of the wire band, thereby preventing thesewire tips from catching on other wire bands when theboxes are slid upon one another. 'My invention provide. means for disposing tion for convenient manipulation, and to provide simple means for releasinga part ot the wire to wh'ich the extension is to he oined, to that thls part may be conveniently reached by my appliance.

In one of its more general aspects, myinvention aims to provide simple and effective means for preventing; both the kinking-of a splice and irregularities in the formation of the splice while splicing two wires to each other withoutniiaintaining them under tension, thereby producing a splice which will be straight and uniform in the distribution of its twists. Furthermore, my invention aims to provide simple means for visually indicating the number of halt-twists ima of a wire-bound box, showing my appliance in position for raising the end olaruptured band to an accessible position, and also showing a new sphce as made after extending another wire band with the aid of my appliance.

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewot oneembodiment of my invention, showing the sameas it appears in use for extending a band on, a wire-bound box. W Fig.1. 3 is acentral and longitudinal sertion through the head of the tool of l ig.

Fig. lis a rear view of the same, taken from the right hand end of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the head of the same tool. 7

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view ot the forward end" of the operating handle and of the wire twisting member geared to the same.

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken through Fig. 3 along; the correspondingly numbered line.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation oi the splice made with my applieanee, showing also fragment of the adjacent side of the box.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of another embodiment of my invention, namely one in which the straightness and uniformity of the twist is obtained by a non-rotating confining member;

Fig. 10 is. acentral and longitudinal section throu'glr 9 taken along-the correspondingly numbered line after the twisting tube has been rotated a quarter turn.

Fig. 11 is a transverse section taken along the correspondingly numbered line. in F in. 10.

In the-embodiment of Figs. 1 to 8, my invention includes a hotly member consisting of two counterpart portions 1 secured to each other by rivets 2." These body portions have counterpart recesses Cooperating to forinbores for housing a pair of interme'shed pinions 3 and 4, a tube 'l ast upon one of these pinions, and an end of a stem 6 fast upon the other pinion. The tube 5 has a main'portion 7 of its bore cylindrical and of somewhat more than twice the diameteroft the wire with which the tool is to be used.- This bore is contracted and flattenedv at the rear end of the appliance (substantially as shown in Fig. i) to abore large enough totreel-y receive two overlapping wires, but too small to permit a relative lateral movement of the wires with respect to each otheryso that these wires cannot twist around each other within this part of th e bore. This flattened bore portion has a length exceeding); the sum ot the diameters of the two wires and preferably has this length considerably in excess of the sum of the diameters, so asto maintain the wires parallel to each other when they slide through the I said flattened bore, thereby maintaining the adjacent exposed portions of the two wires parallel to each other and preventing them from twisting through this bore portion after the manner of the shank of the spiral drill. Forwardly of the tube 5,1 provide wire-gripping means including a earn 8 pivotedon a pin 9 extending transversely of the appliance and having a handle 10 for manipulating the same. The cam portion of this lever extends through a slot in the forward end of the body member, which slot RPPIOXlHHll't-S the diameter oi a single wire (as shown in Fig. 7), so that the sides of the slot will maintain two wires 11 and 12 above one another.

while the shape (it the earn 8 is such that a movement of the lever 10 to the position of Fig. 3 will clamp the overlapped wires against a jaw 13. This jaw is desirably made of hardened steel and may be held in position by entering recesses in the. body halves l as shown in Figs. 3 and 7.

The stem 6 is equipped with suitable means for conveniently rotating); the same. as tor example a hand crank 'l-l disposed between the main portion of this stem and a. freely rotatable knob 15 against which the. user of the appliance is adapted to press. This shank 6 desirably extends at an angle to the base of the body member 1.. which member is secured to a steel shoe 16 adapted to rest on the surface of a box or other support. This shoe has at its lorwin'd end a pair of prongs 17 adapted to he. slid under a wire at opposite sides from a staple '18 (as shown in Fig. so that the staple may be raised by pressing downward on the shank (3 and thereby tipping the head of the appli ance upwardly about the rea' r edge ol its base as a fulcrum. By providing my tool with a relatively long stem 6. I can readil' allord such a leverage as to expedite the drawing: of staples in this manner. thus enabling me to quickly tree the end of a severed wire. band on a wire bound box from the stapling for a sufficient length so that the same may be bent at an angle to the box l9 as shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus rendered one end of the wire band accessible. I next swing the cam lever 10 on my appliance to its aperture in creasing position (as by swinging" the bandle 10 towards the left in Fig. 3), and slide the extension wire 12 through the flattened opening from the rear of the tool and entirely through the bore 7 to a position in which its lrce end between the jaw 13 and the cam 8. Next. I slide my tool l'orward while inserting the free end ol the wire I! over the wire 12 until this wire 11 extends into the flattened rear end oi" the bore of the tube Then I swingthe handle it) back to the position of Fig. 3, thereby clamping the overlapped wire portions between the cam 8 and the jaw 13. Thus arranged. it will be evident from Fig. 3 that the i vires which are to be adjoined have portions longitudinally. overlapping and clamped near the tip of one wire. while they are held against relative lateral or rotatimlal movement adjacent to-the tip of the other wire.

although not gripped or restricted as to longitudinal movement except adjacent to the cam 8.

Upon rotating the stem 6 by means oi the crank 14, the intermeshn r pinions 4- and 3 lit) lllO

rotate the tube 5, thereby causing the flat time, since both wires are free to slide through theflattened end of the boreof the since I start with the free end of the wire twisting tube, these wires can move longitudinally with respect tothe twisting tube to permit a slight taking up of each wire duringthemaking of the splice. Moreover,

12 between the wire lland the box, and with the free end of thewire 11 above the wire 12, every odd, number of half-turns i will bringthe free end of the wire 11 also between the other wire and the box. Conse quently, by making an odd number of half-.

turns of the shank 6, I can readily cause the free ends of the splice to be disposed towards the box (as in Fig. 8) or in a position in which they will not catch on adjacent objects. So also by rotating the shank for a predetermined number of haltturns, I can readily insure a splice of ample strength without over-straining the was. Consequently, by simply instructing the user as to the number of half-turns which he is to impartto the shank of my appliance, I can readily enable even an inexperienced workman to etl ecta dependable splicing.

To simplify the manufacture, I desirably mount the cam lever on a pivot pin 9 which is journaled in corresponding bores in the two halves of the body member 1 when these are assembled as shown in Fig. 7. Likewise,

l desirably provide similar socket formations for the side portions of the jaw 18, which jaw is desirably made of a harder material than the body member. However,

I do not wish to be limited to the above do scribed details of construction and arrangement, it being obvious that my appliance might be modified in many ways without de parting from the spirit of my invention.

For example, Figs. 9, 10 and 11 show another embodiment in which I employ a stationary channel 24 as the confining member for preventing a hunting or kinking of the twist during the twisting operation, and in which I employ an eccentric 21 for clamping the two wires against a side wall'at the forward end of this channel. In this case, the confining channel member 22 is U-shaped in section and is desirably of harder material than the body member, as it is subjected to the frictional engagement of parts of the twist during the making of the latter. With this constructiomthe bottom and the two side walls of the channel are desirably spacedfrom the axis of the upper pinion by a distance approximating from one and onequarter to one and. one-half times the diameter of each of the two wires, thus making the effective bore of the channel between two and a half and three times the diameter of a single wire.

l/Vith either "of these forms, the wire gripping clamp is desirably so located that it will hold the wires symmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of the rotating pinion; or in other words, so that the two wires will initiallybe overlapped along the axis of this rotating pinion. With the parts thus arranged, there is no strain during the twisting which would tend to shift the axis of the twist, sothat I reduce the amount of friction on the confining member (which in the first named embodiment is the rotating tube,and in the second embodiment is a stationary channel or guard member), and hence amable to produce a quite durable tool at a comparatively low cost. This friction isstill further reduced in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 8, since the twist-confiir ing member rotates with thetwisting wire portions, so that the frictionis only longitudinal of this member.

Moreover, since the long operating stem of the appliance also affords a convenient J lever for the staple-pulling portion of the same, my appliance can bequickly operated both for raising wires to conveniently accessible positions, and for thereafter splicing extensions to the same. To further increase the accessibility, I desirably mount the pinions so that their axes areinclined to thesho'e 16, as for example, after the manner shown in the drawings. After completing the twist in each case, the clamping lever is loosened, and the tool can then be pulled off the twist and off the wires which are now spliced to each other, the extension wire 1.2 being then drawn clear through the tool.

I. claim as my invention:

1. For intertn isting two longitudinally parallel wire portions, two relatively rotatable means spaced along the said wire portions, one thereof gripping the wires, the other thereof slidably housing the wires with abore flattened to less than the sum of the diameters of the wires, and means fast with respect to one of the aforesaid means for affording peripheral restraint to the twist during its formation.

to prevent relative rotation thereof, and a medial portion of a bore greater than the sum of the diameters of the two wire portions; and means for relatively rotating the said members. I

For intertwisting two longitudinally parallel wire portions, two relatively rotatable means spaced. along the said wire portions, one thereof gripping the wires, the other thereof slidably housing the wires with a bore flattened to less than the sum of the diameters of the wires, and means fast with respectto one of the aforesaid means for affording peripheral restraint to the twist during its formation, the said restraining means being spaced from the axis of the said flattened bore by a distance approximating the diameter of one of the wires.

4;. In an appliance for intertwisting' two wires, a rotatable tubular member whose bore includes a main portion formed for tlreely housing the intertwisted portion of the proposed splice and a second port-ion formed for slidably housing two parallel wire portions while preventing relative rotation thereof. I

In an appliance for intertwisting longitudinally overlapped 7 wires, relatively rotatable elements spaced by the length of the proposed twist and each arranged for preventing relative rotation of two parts ot'the overlapped wire portions, and means disposed between the said ele ments for limiting the departure of the resulting twist from the axis of the latter by a distance slightly larger than the diameter of one of the wires;

6. An appliance forinte'rtwisting two longitudinally parallel wire portions, comprising two relatively rotatable means spaced along the said wire portions, the first thereof gripping the wires, the second thereof slidably housing the wires with a bore flattened to less than the sum of the diameters of the wires; means fast with respect to one of the said two means for afl'ording perijhcral restraint to the twist during its formation, and an. operating member rotatably mounted on the first-named means and get. red to the riteeoinil-named means.

T. In an, appliance for il'itertwisting longitudinally overlapped portions of two wires, a supporting member equipped for gripping the overlapped wire portions. a second member rotatably mounted on the supporting member and having a portion slidably engaging the overlapped wireportions at a distance from the said gripping; means disposed between the said gripping portions of two and the said portion of the rotatable member for limiting the departure oil the resulting twist trom the axis of the latter by a. distance slightly larger than the diameter of one or the wires; an actuating member pivoted on the supporting member, and g aring connecting the actuating member with the supporting member.

8. In a. wire twisting appliam c, u r=upporting member, means tor retaining a plurality of wires in. side by side relation to curb other and to preclude rotation ol one wire relatively to the other, and a rotatable member provided with a wire receivingopening the cross sectional contour and dimensions oi which cllect the twisting of the wires and permit a .diding movement ol' said twisted wires within said member during the rotation thereof.

S). In a wire twisting appliance. a supporting member, means for gripping a plurality of wires positioned in side by side relation and operating to preclude the ruintion of either wire relatively to the other, a tubular member having an opening of a diameter to receive the side by side positioned wires and to permit sliding ol the resulting twist within said member, and means for imparting rotativc moimnent lo said tubular member with respect to said gripping means.

10. In a wire twisting appliance. means 'i'or gripping a plurality of wires in side by side relation and operating to restrain said wires from rotation with respect to each other, a tubular member provided with a single opening through which the plurality of wires are adapted to pass and within which said wires are adapted to slide during the formation of the twist, and. means for imparting rotative movement to the tubular member relatively to the gri 'iping means, said gripping means and the tubular member being relatively spaced along the side by side positioned wire portions.

11. In a. wire twisting appliance. a supporting member, wire retaining means tln'lcon, a tubular member having a single opening within which a plurality ol' wires are tree to extend and to slide therein. and means for imparting rotativc movement in the tubular member with rcspez-tto said wire. retaining means, the under surface oi said supporting member being at an angle to the plane of the rotatable member and the wire retaining means.

Signed at Chicago. March 20th. 101$).

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